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thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." As a further reason for our Lord's compliance with this Jewish institution, we may urge the propriety of his finishing the former dispensation, by an exact adherence to its rules, as he was about to establish another, and better covenant; which could not be effected more fully, than by conforming to that sacrament, which was of divine injunction, and indispensibly requisite to admission into the former.

As the same institution also required that every first born son, without any regard to circumstance or family, should be presented to the Lord, in the temple, by delivering him into the hands of the priest, and paying five shekels, together with an offering, which, from the poorer sort, consisted of a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, a ceremony in commemoration of the divine mercy, in sparing the first born in Israel, when those of Egypt, both men and beasts, were destroyed his parents having tarried at Bethlehem till the days of Mary's purification were accomplished, brought the child Jesus to Jerusalem, and there presented him in the temple to the Lord, in the manner just described, with the offering allowed to the lower order of people; a repeated instance of the exact obedience of the immaculate Jesus, to the ceremonial law, as well as the poverty of his parents, though descended from a royal house.

During the representation of the holy Infant, there entered the temple a pious and venerable old man, named Simeon, who, with all the devout, had "waited day and night for the consolation of Israel," and to whom it had been revealed by the Spirit of Truth, that he should not depart this mortal life, till he had seen the Lord of life and salvation.

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Accordingly it was signified to him by the Holy Spirit, at whose instance he came at the precise time, into the temple, that the child there presented was the long-expected Messiah, even the Redeemer of Israel. In an extacy of joy he embraced the heavenly Infant in his arms, and broke out into this rhapsody, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation: which thou hast prepared before the face of all pople; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Luke ii. 29.

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The exultation of Simeon astonished the parents of our Lord; not as unworthy the divine subject of it, to which are due strains superior either to men or angels; but as evincing the old man's certain knowledge that the child was the promised Messiah, though he was an absolute stranger. But their surprize was soon removed by Simeon's saying unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ;" or, in other words, this is the stumbling-block and rock of offence, which it was long foretold by God should be laid in Zion, and which should occasion the fall of many in Israel; for through the humble manner of his birth, and his abject state upon earth, he became despised and rejected of men; yet he is set for the rising again of many, who shall rely on his merits, and submit to his government.

Commentators are divided in their opinions concerning this old Simeon. Some think he was of the order of priests, and that he uttered the words cited above, while he was presenting the child to the Lord, in the office of his function. But, as the evangelist, who recites, in a particular manner, the representation of our

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blessed Lord, is silent on that head, it appears little more than conjecture.

Others affirm he was Simon the Just, a disciple of the most famous Hillel, the master of Gamaliel, under whom the apostle Paul was educated, and that while he was attempting to explain to the people that passage in the prophecy of Isaiah, "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son," it was revealed to him, that he should see, with mortal eyes, the promised Messiah; and that on his beholding the child and his mother in the temple, he broke out into that well-known rhapsody. But this could not be, for Simon the Just lived till forty one years after the death of Christ, and it has been affirmed by Eusebius, that he was not above seventy years old when he died. Besides it is remarkable, that the Almighty at that time, was pleased to reveal his designs with respect to the Messiah, not to the great, the wise, and the learned, but to the poor and illiterate, such as Joseph a carpenter, Zacharias an ordinary priest, and a company of shepherds; therefore, as the point is not settled, we presume to offer it as our opinion, that this old man, to whom God was pleased to make so extraordinary a revelation, concerning concerning the Saviour of the world, was a plain man, rather eminent for the goodness of his heart, than the knowledge of his head, and who possessed more piety and devotion, than learning or earthly pomp.

A certain good prophetess, called Anna, who had a long time waited for the redemption of Israel, entering the temple, at the instant in which Simeon exulted in the birth of the heavenly Infant, and finding that he was the promised Messiab, likewise joined with him in praising God, and went forth and declared the glad tidings of salvation, to all the faithful in those parts.

Having, in every respect, complied with the ceremonies and rites contained in the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary, with the child Jesus, entered into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. They did not, however, long abide there, for having adjusted their affairs, they returned again to Bethlehem, the place of our Lord's nativity.

This step seems to have been pursued in consequence of their opinion, that it was necessary, in order to his being acknowledged the Messiah, sent of God,

that he should reside some time in the place of his birth. Whatever was their motive for removal, it was evident from scripture, that while they were in Bethlehem with their Son, certain eastern philosophers, called Magi, or Wise Men, came, in consequence of the appearance they had seen, to Jerusalem, and enquired for the King of the Jews, declaring they had seen his star in their own quarter, and were come to pay him the adorations due to his dignity.

Various conjectures have been formed by the learned, concerning this star, which is said to have appeared in the east. Some think it was the Spirit of God, others an angel, some a comet, others a luminious appearance, &c. A modern writer is of opinion it was the glory that surrounded the angels, who had appeared to the shepherds at Bethlehem, on the night of the blessed Lord's nativity.

But notwithstanding these uncertain conjectures, the star answered the end designed, and directed the magi to the spot where resided the Lord of Life and Glory. Some men, too wise to admit of the evidences from Revelation, have sceptically enquired, how these eastern Magi could arrive at any knowledge that the Jews expected the Messiah, and that, therefore,

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on the appearance of this new star in the firmament, how they should apprehend it pointed out the birth of the great Redeemer of Israel? The learned asserters of the christian cause, in answer to these queries, observe, that an opinion of the approach of the Messiah's kingdom had long prevailed all over the east ; nay, this is declared in profane history, by Suetonius, Tacitus, and Josephus..

The reason of this prevailing opinion is very obvious. The Jews conceived mighty expectations of the Messiah, from the many prophecies concerning him recorded in their own language; and the Arabians, from the many prophecies of the same import, made to Abraham; it being certain that those people retained traditional knowledge of this promise, and the words of Balaam, who was an Arabian prophet There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel, &c." which every impartial reader must acknowledge rather refers to the appearance of the Messiah, than any other incident whatever.

The other eastern nations derived their expectations of the Messiah from their commercial connections with the Jews

and Arabians, but more especially from the Jews, who, being scattered over the whole country of the east, spread their religion wherever they went, which occasioned several Roman historians to take notice of the prevalence of that opinion.

Nay, the expectation of the Messiah being born in Judea, was strongly impressed on the minds of the followers of

Zoroaster, who reformed the religion of the Persians, being servant to the prophet Daniel, and particularly favoured with revelations concerning the Messiah.

From these considerations, it evidently appears, that this opinion prevailed

throughout the east, and that the Magi might with great reason, on the appearance of the star, repair to Jerusalem, in quest of the promised Saviour of Israel.

But to leave this subject as not immediately appertaining to our purpose, the whole city of Jerusalem was alarmed at the unexpected arrival of the eastern Magi; an event which much perplexed the tyrant Herod, whose ambitious mind maintained the utmost aversion to the very thought of a rival or competitor, and consequently, could not brook a report that favoured the news of the birth of the King of the Jews.

Disguising, however, his principle, he received the Magi with seeming respect, attended to the design of their errand with affected complacency, and to gratify their curiosity, summoned a general council, and demanded of them where Christ should be born? The council kept him not long in suspence, for well remembering that the prophets had particularly foretold the place of his birth; they replied to the demand of their Monarch, "In Bethlehem of Juda ;" and to confirm their answer, cited prophetic authority." And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel." Matt. ii. 6. The tyrant king, in consequence of the reply from the supreme council of the nation, directed the Magi to Bethlehem, as the place, according to ancient prophecy, designed for the honour of Christ's nativity, earnestly entreating them, at the same time immedi ately, on their finding out the child, to send him word, that he might repair thither, and pay his adoration to him also.

But this was mere pretence, and vile hypocrisy for, so far was Herod from

entertaining any religious regard for the infant Jesus, that he vowed in his heart to destroy him as soon as he should be found; looking on him as designed for a temporal prince, who would expel him, or his descendants, from the throne of Judea, instead of a prince whose kingdom was wholly spiritual, and whose throne was not to be established upon earth, but in the heavenly Jerusalem.

We have no greater evidence of the divinity of our Saviour's mission, than his miraculous preservation from the designs of the ambitious Herod. The tyrant, in this case acted with the utmost subtilty; he declined accompanying the wise men. in person, nor did he even send attendants with them, who under the guise of honouring them, might have secretly informed bim of the abode of the Messiah, or actually destroy both the child and his parents; in reality, he acted as if the event gave him no concern, and in a manner wholly dif ferent from the general expectation of the people.

However, the Magi, having obtained the intelligence they sought in Jerusalem, set forward, under the guidance of the same star that conducted them from their own country, but had left them on their arrival in Judea, which was the cause of their directing their course to the capital, in order to seek that information, which by the desertion of the star, became requisite. Thus we find that the design of the Almighty, in directing the eastern Magi to the capital of Judea, was, that the whole nation might be made acquainted with the cause of their journey.

Accordingly, they had no sooner proeeeded from Jerusalem, on their way to Bethlehem, than their kind conductor again appeared, went before them to the very city, and fixed on the habitation of

the heavenly Infant. Guided by this celestial conductor, they entered the house, and prostrating themselves at the sacred feet of their spiritual king, presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Having thus accomplished the design of the expedition, they proposed, according to promise, returning to Jerusalem ; but being diverted from that intention by a dream, in which they were warned by God of Herod's design, they pursued another course, towards their own country, and by those means defeated his malicious. purpose.

But it is natural and reasonable to suppose, that the end of the divine wisdom, in directing these eastern Magi to the kingdom of Judea, to worship the child Jesus, was not merely to gratify the curiosity of the wise men, because the event promoted many other very important designs, some of which we shall mention.

It proved to succeeding ages, the great expectation the Gentiles formed of the appearance of the Messiah, and consequently established the truth of those prophecies, which related to that event, as well as excited in the minds of men the most sanguine hopes, and longing desires.

As these Magi, doubtless reported, on their return to their countrymen, the particulars they had heard and seen in the kingdom of Judea, relative to the Messiah, such report must certainly have promoted the belief of the gospel in those parts, when afterwards preached there by the apostles. The expedition of the wise men was the cause of the answer of the Sanhedrim, in which it was unanimously declared to be the opinion of all the Jewish Rabbies, then living, that, according to ancient prophecies, Bethlehem was the place appointed by the Almighty, to give birth to the promised Messiah.

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